FACULTY RESPONSIBILITIES
The responsibilities of faculty members of the College of Arts and Sciences at Syracuse
University derive from their multiple roles as teachers, scholars and colleagues within a
university chartered to serve the general good by the advancement of knowledge in the
liberal and professional areas of learning. Some of the generally recognized
responsibilities of faculty members are listed and elaborated on below.
1. Faculty-Student Relations.
1.1. The complete education of the student is a basic purpose of a
university. Syracuse University is aware of its responsibility for the
academic, emotional, and physical welfare of each student. Faculty
members are expected to respect the dignity of students individually and
collectively in the classroom and in the greater University community.
1.2. It is the position of this University that the first responsibility of
students is to the academic side of college life. In like manner, the first
obligation of faculty members is to their classes and students.
1.3. Guidance and counseling of students as well as cooperating with
college deans in academic counseling are duties of all faculty members.
1.4. Students are encouraged to go to their instructors for assistance even
in matters not academic. Faculty members, as they work with students,
may recognize difficulties and may be competent to help students directly
or be able to advise them where to go for assistance.
1.5. Faculty members must respect the confidentiality of information
regarding a student, such as the confidential information contained in
University records. They must refrain from releasing such information,
except in connection with intra-University business, or with student
consent, or as may be required by law.
2. Teaching.
2.1. Faculty members are expected to give careful and competent
attention to their performances in discharging the full range of teaching
duties. These duties include: preparation of lectures, lesson assignments,
reading lists, study materials, tests, and examinations; providing students
with adequate and timely feedback during a course; keeping and posting
of regular office hours; making additional time available for special
appointments and reporting promptly all student grades.
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2.2. All faculty members are expected to provide students with advice and
guidance in developing their intellectual interests, planning their
academic programs, or adjusting to life within the University. Individual
faculty members may do so in a number of formal and informal ways: as
departmental advisors, as lower division academic advisors for the
College, as mentors guiding their students to intellectual resources beyond
those connected with specific courses, or by simply taking an interest in
the lives and academic development of students who seek them out for
counsel.
2.3. The University expects that all faculty members will be meticulous in
meeting their academic assignments regularly and promptly.
2.3.1. The academic year is eight and one-half months. Faculty
members shall be on campus prior to the first day of classes in the
Fall semester and remain through Commencement.
2.3.2. Faculty members must meet and conclude classes on time.
Classes meet for the full period, beginning the first day of each
term. If for some reason instructors cannot meet their classes, they
should notify their department chairpersons promptly.
2.3.3. Classrooms are assigned by the Registrar's Office and
necessary room changes must be approved by this office. Times
and rooms for final examinations are assigned by the Registrar's
Office and faculty members must hold examinations at the time
and in the room indicated. No changes are permitted without the
authorization of the Registrar.
2.4. Academic evaluation of students must be based solely on their
academic performance. Faculty members must not consider in academic
evaluation such factors as race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin,
political or cultural affiliation, life style or activities outside the classroom
unrelated to academic achievement.
2.5. Final examinations and final papers must be made available for
inspection by the student for at least one year following the conclusion of
a course, unless they are returned to the student.
2.6. Faculty members must comply with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation
Act of 1973 to insure nondiscrimination against handicapped and learning
disabled students.
2.7. Teaching and research assistants are to be assigned academic duties
only and only for the hours designated in their contract letters. Proper
supervision and training of assistants is expected.
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2.8. Faculty members have an obligation to serve on committees, to
counsel candidates for graduate degrees, to read theses, and to determine
qualifications by means of examinations.
3. Scholarly and Creative Achievement.
The obligations of faculty members to their own scholarly and creative
achievement can be met in part by: (1) reading and study to keep abreast of
developments in their areas; (2) study of methods and techniques to improve their
own grasp of the materials in the relevant special fields; (3) research and
investigations, with reports thereon, to increase the total fund of knowledge; and
(4) active participation and attendance at meetings of technical, learned, and
professional organizations. Faculty members are expected to maintain the highest
standards of intellectual honesty in the publication of scholarly and creative
work, and in the presentation of such work in classes, seminars and lectures.
They are expected to give appropriate recognition to contributions to their
scholarship and publication by students and others.
4. Committee Assignments and Faculty Meetings.
Faculty members are expected to: (1) participate in departmental, college, and
University committees; (2) attend departmental faculty meetings and college
faculty meetings regularly; (3) assist at registration; and (4) attend
Commencement and other all-University functions.
5. Consultation.
Faculty members are expected to cooperate and consult with colleagues and
students and to assist them in their pursuit of scholarly and research activities.
6. Departmental Duties.
6.1. All faculty members must keep their department chairpersons or
deans informed of their progress in research and writings. They are given
the opportunity to do this systematically each fall through "The Annual
Supplement to Biographical Data." It is proper for them to inform their
chairpersons or deans of their contributions to civic and professional
groups and organizations.
6.2. When the discharge of professional responsibilities makes it desirable
for faculty members to be away from the campus during any period of
normal academic operation, they must obtain prior approval of their
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department or program chairpersons. Such advance notice will permit
alternative arrangements to assure continuing coverage of all their campus
responsibilities.
7. Diffusion of Knowledge.
Faculty members should assist the University to achieve its charter obligation to
further the "diffusion of knowledge" by serving as lecturers, consultants, or
committee members in groups created to advance the public welfare or to serve
the public good.
8. Professional Conduct.
Faculty members must exercise care to treat all members of the academic
community with respect and dignity. Faculty members are naturally accorded a
measure of respect by students, staff members and other colleagues, and they
exercise certain kinds of professional authority affecting the careers of others.
They must be careful to avoid abusing -- inadvertently or otherwise -- this natural
respect and legitimate authority. No harassment employing an abuse of
professional authority is to be tolerated. Attention to the elimination of sexual
harassment is an important aspect of this general responsibility. In this
connection, the following definition of "sexual harassment", adopted with
modifications from the guideline definition of the Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission, is accepted.
Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal
or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute intolerable sexual
harassment when (1) submission to such conduct is made either explicitly
or implicitly a term or condition of an individual's employment,
advancement or favorable evaluation, (2) submission to or rejection of
such conduct by an individual is used as a basis for decisions affecting
that individual, or (3) such conduct has the purpose or effect of
unreasonably interfering with an individual's performance or of creating
an intimidating, hostile or offensive academic work environment.
Adopted by:
The Faculty, The College of Arts and Sciences, Syracuse University, 2/20/89
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